


Betsy's side

by Caitriona29



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Betsy has been there for Emma through everything, F/F, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-26 19:22:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18288647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitriona29/pseuds/Caitriona29
Summary: Betsy loves her granddaughter and has been there for everything





	Betsy's side

Betsy Nolan has lived a long enough life and has seen a lot. There used to be days where she was scared that life would get too predictable and she would fall into the same daily routine until the end. That was until a few years ago. Nearly three years ago to be more specific.

 

Betsy opened up the door to see her granddaughter, Emma, standing on the front porch, looking slightly tired yet jittery.

“Hi Emma, I wasn’t expecting you to come over today, step in. You should’ve let me know, I could have made you a belated birthday cake. 15 huh? You’re getting older young lady.”

“Sorry grandma, I meant to tell you I was coming over but it slipped my mind. Don’t worry about the birthday thing either, it’s fine”

Betsy led Emma into the kitchen where some fresh scones had just finished baking. She set two down on the table and sat down across from Emma.

“So what’s brought you to your good old grandma’s house?” Betsy enjoyed having Emma over. She was a great helper and they seemed to always have a lot of fun together. Emma shifted her gaze down, focusing on the table cloth.

“Um I kinda needed to talk to you about something, grandma”

“Sure thing dear”

“It’s kind of a personal thing” Emma kept looking down. Betsy had a feeling she knew what Emma was about to say but wanted to let her say it herself.

“That’s ok honey, I’m all ears.”

Emma finally made eye contact and took a deep breath before she spoke,

“Um so uh I like” she paused, trying to control her breathing, “I like girls. Like, like girls. What I’m saying is that um I’m gay. I know you’re probably going to say I’m too young or I shouldn’t feel this way about girls, but I do. And I just needed to tell you. I’m sorry”

Betsy could see the tears falling down Emma’s cheeks, even as she looked down again. She took a hold of Emma’s hand.

“Honey, it’s ok.You don’t have to apologise at all. Whoever you love, this doesn’t change who you are. I love you. Thank you for telling me.” Betsy wasn’t surprised. Emma never talked about boys but she sure did talk about her friends who were girls, a lot. Well when she was younger she did. Not so much at that point.

“Are you sure you’re ok with it? I get it if you aren’t, not a lot of people are.”

That part shocked Betsy the most.

“Of course I’m ok with it. Are other people not ok with it? Have they said something to you? Done something?” Betsy was concerned for her granddaughter, she didn’t want anyone treating her badly.

“Well I haven’t told anyone, you’re the first person I told, but some people at school suspect it.” Emma laughed shyly, “I guess my clothes don’t help with that” Betsy looked at one of the many flannel shirts that Emma owned and smiled.

“Well if they give you any hassle, tell me. Now the big question is, do you have a girlfriend?” Betsy couldn’t say she wasn’t at least a bit curious.

“No, sadly there’s hardly any lesbians in Indiana who are out of the closet.”

“Well what about a crush. Tell me about her”

And that’s how Betsy spent her afternoon. Listening to Emma talk about who she likes, how she knew and anything else she felt comfortable sharing. Betsy knew how important it was to be accepting of her granddaughter.

 

Then there was a year and a half ago.

 

Once again Betsy opened her door to see Emma standing on her front porch. This time was different. This time Betsy had been woken up to the sound of the doorbell being rung a hundred times. This time it was 1am. This time Emma was crying and had two bags with her. This time was bad.

“Emma honey what’s wrong? Come in” Betsy turned on the lamp in the hall before closing the door after Emma. Emma all but fell into Betsy, sobbing.

“They kicked me out. M-my parents they k-kicked me out. I don’t know what to do” Emma was breathing heavily, her words nearly being drowned out by her choking sobs.

“What do you mean they kicked you out? What happened?” she held Emma tighter.

“My parents fo-found out I’m da-dating A-Alyssa and they didn’t want me-want me living there anymore” the more Emma spoke, the more shallow her breathing got. She couldn’t catch her breath and she couldn’t stop crying. Betsy led her into the living room, turning on lights as she went, and sat Emma down on the couch.

“Emma, honey I need you to breathe. In and out, nice and easy. It’s ok. I’m right here with you. I’m never going to let anyone hurt you. Look at me and breathe.” Emma’s breathing hadn’t eased up and she was gripping tightly on to Betsy’s wrists.

“Emma nothing bad is going to happen to you here. You’re at my house with me. Your parents can’t hurt you. I’ve got you.” Betsy repeated that phrase over and over again until Emma could breathe.

“I’ve got you” again and again. She was afraid to stop saying it. Once Emma got more of a steady breath she looked up at Betsy, face as pale as the moonlight that was shining through the gap in the curtains.

“I don’t know what to do grandma. I don’t have anywhere to go.”

Betsy’s heart ached for Emma upon hearing her say that.

“Of course you do, you can stay with me as long as you need, no matter what. We’ll make the spare room your room if we need. First we need to figure this out with your parents. I’ll make it ok.”

The mention of Emma’s parents sent her sobbing again. Out of nowhere she stopped and drew in a sharp breath.

“Oh my god, Alyssa. They know about Alyssa. My parents know about Alyssa. What if they tell her mother. Alyssa’s going to break-up with me. Break-up. Break. Break.” Emma couldn’t get her thoughts together and just kept repeating ‘break’, over and over again while rocking back and forth.

Betsy didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t guarantee anything to Emma, that would be cruel. Betsy spent the whole of that night doing three things. Calming Emma down and trying to prevent panic attack after panic attack. Wondering how the hell she was going to protect her granddaughter and also how the hell she was going to protect her granddaughter’s girlfriend.

 

Then there was this year.

 

The situation with Emma and her parents hadn’t eased up but she was settled at Betsy’s house. Betsy took care of Emma and occasionally Alyssa. It pained her to know that Emma and Alyssa couldn’t be with each other outside the confines of her home, but Betsy knew how important it was for Alyssa to come out on her own terms and in her own time. Everything was going well. Betsy knew about the bullying going on at school against Emma but at least Emma spoke about it with her. Then prom started getting closer.

 

Betsy heard Emma coming in through the front door, dumping her backpack down on the ground while she walked into the living room.

“Hey, how was school today?”

“They won’t let us go to prom” Emma looked frustrated and on the verge of tears.

“What do you mean they won’t let you go? Who’s they anyways?”

“The PTA. I asked Mr. Hawkins could I bring my girlfriend to prom because you know, she’s my fucking girlfriend and goes to the same school as me.”

“Language, please. I thought you asked him last week?”

“Sorry. I did and today he told me he asked the PTA and they’ve said, if I am to bring a date they have to be of the opposite sex.”

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. Surely they can’t do that.” some days it felt like Emma couldn’t win.

“Apparently they can grandma. I don’t know how I’m going to break this to Alyssa. She was so excited to go. She was finally going to come out to her mother.” Emma sat down beside Betsy and gave her a hug. Betsy rubbed her back as she spoke,

“We’ll figure it out honey, we will”

 

After nearly three weeks of countless PTA meetings and multiple panic attacks from Emma and a few from Alyssa, Betsy was suddenly hosting for four Broadway actors. Betsy liked them and what they stood for, coming all the way to Indiana just to help her granddaughter and her girlfriend. And they did. Finally Emma and Alyssa had a prom to go to. It took persuasion and many tears from everyone involved, but the PTA finally gave in.

 

“Barry? Is she ready yet? She said she was meeting Alyssa there at 7. There’s 20 minutes to get there.” Betsy had been rushing around all day trying to prepare.

“We will be down in one second Betsy, darling” Barry used the word darling whenever he spoke to Betsy. She didn’t hate it. Seeing Emma walking down the stairs in her blue dress, all glammed up, warmed Betsy’s heart. She watched from the porch as the actors, their ‘PR’ person, Sheldon, and Emma climbed into a cab to head off to the school. Betsy prayed everything would work out. She also feared for Alyssa, knowing she was planning on coming out. She couldn’t interfere.

She sat down in her armchair and let out a sigh of relief, hoping that the homophobia Emma faced daily would die down and everything would work out.

**Author's Note:**

> Me finishing this: Betsy honey, you've got a big storm coming


End file.
